Made with 100% native grape Nebbiolo, you’ve probably heard that Barbaresco is one of Italy’s greatest wines. Yet for many years, it’s also been Italy’s most famous unknown red: even though fine wine lovers had heard of it, until recently, many passed it up for Barolo, its larger, more renowned neighbor (also made entirely with Nebbiolo). But thanks to a new generation of winemakers embracing more natural farming methods that have led to even higher quality, and the denomination’s unique micro-climate that encourages freshness and balance even in the hottest vintages, wine lovers are discovering that Barbaresco is a world-class wine in its own right. And the recent, widespread fascination with Nebbiolo and Piedmont has further helped shine a light on the denomination.

After a meeting between producers and their consortia of the Piedmont region that lasted for more than four hours yesterday (September 12), a vote came out against creating a new wine, Piemonte Nebbiolo DOC.

As previously reported in a column on August 5, the proposal—put forward by the Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato—would have encouraged producers in growing zones throughout the region to invest heavily in Nebbiolo.

If there’s one wine I’d love to see on more wine lists in the U.S., it’s Pinot Bianco from Alto Adige and select parts of Friuli. There are some gorgeous Pinot Biancos from these areas. If you haven’t tried any, then you’re missing out on some fantastic wines.

Made with the Pinot Blanc grape (also known as Weissburgunder in German), Pinot Biancos from northeast Italy are extremely elegant and offer a tantalizing combination of creamy and crisp, dry and mineral-driven.